Espn2 Begins For Casual Fan

October 02, 1993|By JERRY TRECKER; Courant Staff Writer

For days we watched a card with a flashy "ESPN2" on top and sports news scrolling across the bottom. Crown Cable of Windham, one of the few state systems carrying the newest all-sports channel, had prepared its viewers for more than a week.

Friday at 7:27 p.m., the promotional card disappeared from the screen as ESPN2, the brother of one of cable television's pioneers, took its first hesitant steps into the unknown.

The future will determine whether a second ESPN network can stand on its own. Opening night was about first impressions.

It began with the national anthem. That's how television usually signs off in the middle of the night. This anthem was a montage of stadium performances, including a few clunkers.

Then came a video that showcased anchor Keith Olbermann, a visit from Chris Berman and some outtakes from the original ESPN's early days. The new format looked quite different from the parent's delivery; there was a clear attempt to look and sound casual. "Good evening, and welcome to the end of our careers," is how Olbermann began the network's first show, "SportsNight."

There was a traditional sports update at 7:55, but even this didn't feel exactly like ESPN. As for the studio patter, the casually dressed hosts seem to have learned their stuff from MTV. For better or worse, it certainly isn't sports TV as usual.

It remains to be seen if hard content will accompany the flashy image.

"SportsNight" anchor Suzy Kolber, whose outfit looked far more traditional than those of her trendy male colleagues, may be the one to deliver that half of the equation. Olbermann, in contrast, had clearly been instructed to concentrate on banter and on the set's assortment of props